Deep into Gov. Mark Dayton's state of the state speech, he briefly singled out an unlikely Minnesotan: 11-year-old Jason Thormodson, who lives on his family farm near Madelia.

He thanked Jason "for reminding me yesterday how very important agriculture is to our state."

On Tuesday, Dayton hosted a delegation from the Minnesota Farmers Union and took questions -- one of which came from Jason, who asked him if he would mention agriculture in his speech the next day.

Dayton said he would, and asked Jason what he'd like to hear mentioned -- and whether he would follow in his father's footsteps to become a farmer. No, Jason replied, "I'm goin gto be a mechanic so I can fix the machines my dad breaks." In his prepared remarks, though, Dayton referred to Jason as a "future farmer and mechanic."